The teaser launch of the much-awaited action drama KD – The Devil turned into a celebration of Kannada cinema on Thursday, as acclaimed filmmaker Priyadarshan, along with Bollywood stars Sanjay Dutt and Shilpa Shetty Kundra, graced the event in Mumbai.
Speaking at the event, Priyadarshan lauded the growth of the Kannada film industry, calling it one of the most exciting movements in Indian cinema over the past decade. “Kannada cinema is growing all over India in a big way in the last 10 years—starting from KGF, Kantara—they are conquering Indian cinema,” he said. “It was just a regional language ten years back. Today, it is spreading all over India. They are making some great films... they are making their language pan-India.”
Praising the upcoming film KD – The Devil as part of this continuing wave of success, he added, “This is another film which will continue the consistency of their success.”
The veteran director, known for his work across Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu cinema, emphasized the unifying power of the medium. “Since I have worked in four or five languages in India as a director, I feel that there is no language for cinema. Cinema itself is a language.”
Directed by Prem and produced by Venkat Narayana Konanki and Nisha Venkat Konanki under KVN Productions, KD – The Devil is slated for release in 2026. The film stars Dhruva Sarja in the lead, alongside Reeshma Nanaiah, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Sanjay Dutt, Poonam Jhawer, Shilpa Shetty, and Nora Fatehi. Arjun Janya has composed the music, with cinematography by William David and editing by Sanketh Achar.
The teaser launch generated a wave of excitement among fans and industry insiders alike, further cementing the national appeal of Kannada cinema.